Plan, Design, Renovate!

How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?

A kitchen may be the heart of the home, but only when it’s functional and appealing. Otherwise, it ends up being a place you only spend time when required. No matter how outdated your kitchen is, you can always update it with a tasteful and well-thought out kitchen remodel to fit your budget.

Regardless of whether you’re trying to sell your home or make it more functional for yourself, a kitchen remodel can be designed for any budget. Choose a low-cost upgrade if money is limited or a mid-range remodel if you have a small savings account designated for this project. If you want a completely new kitchen of your dreams, a high-end remodel is the only way to go! 😉

Each type of kitchen remodel features specific items and will give you a certain return on investment while enhancing your use of the space. Here is a list of projects included in each remodel project and what you can expect to pay and the ROI for the total project.

Low-End Remodel

With this remodel, the focus will be on updating what you have and spending as little as possible while achieving a big impact. The motto here is only replace what is necessary. For instance, you wouldn’t replace your appliances if they are in working order. Same goes for cabinets. Instead of buying new cabinets, you would paint your current set or sand them down and re-stain them. You would update with new hardware, which would provide major visual impact for just a few hundred dollars.

Painting the walls is one of the easiest ways to update a kitchen without spending a lot of money. Another low-cost project is changing out the light fixtures and faucets. Many people add new lighting, such as under-cabinet lights to brighten the room and make it feel like new.

If you need to replace flooring in a low-cost kitchen makeover, laminate or vinyl is the best choice. Don’t worry: the flooring options available today look nothing like the vinyl from the 1970s and 1980s. They are stylish and even come in designs that look like real wood.

A low-cost remodel may sound like a dream come true, but you want to know the details. Here is a list of individual projects and how much they are likely to cost you in an average kitchen.

Update kitchen hardware – less than $100 for basic knobs and pulls, or $10-$15 apiece for something a little more stylish

Paint – $10-$20 per bucket of paint; another $10-$20 for primer if needed

Laminate flooring – can range from less than $1.50 per square foot installed for a bottom-of-the-barrel option to $3-$5.50 per square foot installed for a high-end laminate floor tile option

New light fixtures – less than $100 for the fixture

You can add other projects into your low-cost kitchen remodel if you can handle the work yourself instead of paying for a professional. In fact, most remodels on the low end of the budget are built up entirely of DIY projects. Believe it or not, it’s easy to make your kitchen look like new for well under $1,000. Average low-cost remodels will mean you spend around $5,000 to get everything you want.

Mid-range Remodel

Maybe you don’t have the funds to build an entirely new kitchen from scratch, but you can afford to make a few big changes. A mid-range remodel may be just the project to bring your kitchen into the 21st century.

With a mid-range remodel, you focus on using standard materials for most projects to save money while splurging on custom features in specific areas. For example, you may opt for standard cabinets with granite countertops for the “wow” factor. Perhaps flooring and cabinetry are basic, while the backsplash commands attention.

The key with this kind of remodel is to know where to spend your money and where to cut back. Which features should stand out and what aspects really won’t matter? The general rule of thumb if you’re worried about return on investment is to spend money where it can be seen, and save on things that aren’t noticeable. Your kitchen should be part of a cohesive design with the rest of the home, so an ultra-modern kitchen in a traditional or historic house won’t give you as much value as you’d like.

Appliances are always a good investment, but spend more money on cook stoves than other appliances because they last longer. Overall, stainless steel is a good choice, especially if you plan to resell in a few years.

Countertops are often a focal point and can enhance standard cabinets. In addition, they are less expensive than buying custom cabinets. Granite is still a popular choice and its durability make it a solid investment in your kitchen.

Cabinets are an essential part of a mid-range kitchen remodel but focus more on function than style for ROI. Soft-close doors and drawers are important while having drawers in the base cabinets enhances their functionality.

Flooring is another important component of this type of remodel. No need to go all out, but laminate is usually out for this budget. Tile is a lower-cost option for style and durability.

A backsplash is a must on your remodel, but you don’t have to go fancy. Ceramic tile works just fine and is as practical as it is pretty.

How much will you spend on a mid-range kitchen remodel? It can vary widely, depending on where you choose to spend extra money. A typical breakdown will give you an idea:

Expect to pay between $500 and $1,000 per cabinet installed, which can easily translate into $5,000 or more for a kitchen with 10 or more cabinets.

Cost for backsplash can range from $12 to $22 per square foot, including installation.

Cost for flooring with porcelain tiles is between $2 – $4 per square foot or only about $400 for a 10×10 kitchen, making it an affordable option for adding style to your room.

Appliances can range widely in cost based on the features you expect, but anticipate spending at least $1,200-$1,500 on a refrigerator and an oven can cost even more at $2,000 or $3,000 for a Samsung or other major brand.

Granite countertops can be quite expensive, ranging from $45 to $200 per square foot; to reduce this cost, choose a thinner slab or limit it to an island top.

Expect a mid-range kitchen makeover to cost $15,000 to $20,000. You can reduce those costs if you limit high-cost materials to one or two aspects of the remodel. Make the right decisions and you can recover a lot of your costs with a 70% return on your investment.

High-End Remodel

Maybe you’ve got the funds to create your dream kitchen, and you’ve always been inspired by commercial appliances or custom cabinetry. Then go for it with a high-end kitchen remodel. Be prepared to dole out a lot of money, but expect to see breathtaking results.

If you’re wondering what identifies a high-end remodel, think custom. Professional labor, custom products and luxury appliances are the ingredients for this type of update. Of course, you can expect to spend a nice little fortune for these results. Don’t be surprised if the grand total comes out to $40,000 or more, depending on the size of your kitchen and where you live. In fact, don’t be shocked to pay double that if you want everything on your wish list.

Here’s a look at what you will see in a remodel for your high-end kitchen:

Natural flooring like wood, or go for something unique like hardwood floor with a stone inlay; expect to pay between $5 and $12 per square foot installed, according to Zillow.

Custom cabinetry with features that include spice racks and folding doors, includes real wood, which will cost anywhere from $15,000 to $45,000 based on 30 new, custom cabinets installed, according to Better Homes and Gardens.

Countertops that make a statement, with options such as natural stone quartzite, granite, marble, or concrete will cost you in the range of $45 to almost $150 per square foot installed.

High-end appliances — efficient and elegant with features like digital programming and integrated televisions turn ordinary appliances into extraordinary, but expect to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 for each.

Brilliant backsplashes, elegant lighting and fabulous faucets separate the high-end kitchen from everything else – these are the “decorations” for your kitchen while combining function with art and can range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

As you can see, there’s a lot of variation in the cost of a high-end kitchen remodel. Expect to see about a 60% return on your investment if you made the right choices. Creating an upscale kitchen is more about designing the space you love than enhancing its resale value.

No matter your budget, you can have a brand new kitchen. The key is to make smart choices on what you change and how and work with the money you have to get the most bang for your buck. The end result will be a kitchen you love to spend time in.